This is a great idea, but only if it works out. Even if it calms you down, you may become less focused. As well, people have to be careful with it because if thy have a certain medical condition, then relaxing them may be lethal.
On the other hand, if it works, it would be awesome. Energy drinks are ridiculous. They make you really hyper, and when they pass, you crash. Sometimes excess caffeine and sugar can cause people to stroke, or similar. The risks outweigh the benefits in my mind. A risk to your health for a few hours of energy, and even then you crash afterwords. With this, people who are stressed and just can't calm down, can. They will be able to work peacefully, and without stress, increasing productivity. If you need energy that badly, get a goods night sleep, or take a quick nap, rather than drinking a damaging energy drink.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Video Games
I am a huge gamer. I game when ever I get the chance, usually all of my out of school time. Games are on the cutting edge of technology, in programming, grahpics, everything. They are a growing industry, one I see as possibly the largest ever at some point. People buy games like mad, sell them back for credit or cash. Fans cry out for sequals, rejoice when they are annonced, then retreat back into their holes when the sequal is cancelled and dreams are crushed.
I recently got my hands on oneof the newest games, Mass Effect 2. I've played it through once already, 24 hours clocked in on time spent playing it. I'm on my second playfuk, with all of the downloadble content that is free installed. I'm pretty sure I'll have at least two hours plus clocked in on this game. It's an RPG game, meaning even if I play it throught the whole way three or four times, theres always a different way for theg ame to end. As well, you can import your save from Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3 when it comes out, which means your decisions in one game affect what happens in the other. If you own all three games, you can play for a total of 72 hours from one game to the next, importing your character each time, gainng bonuses for doing so, and changing the story in different and unexpected ways.
This is just one example of how far games have come. In the early days there was pong, now we have Halo. Before we had 8-bit Mario, now we have full fledged 3D adventures in space. The thing games are striving for is full virtual immersion, or at least thats what I think. A game where you can be surrounded by the scenery, and be the character. Like the holo0-deck in Star Trek. Games are looking more real all teh time, to the pint of looking almost ugle from being too real. Guns sound real, you hear the hearbeat speed up when injured. It gives a feeling of immersion. Even today, there are glasses you can strap on to give yourself and almost 3D feel through depth perception. Especially fun when falling from a 50 story building.
Games are wonderous inventions, perfect distractions, and they arn't going away. People think of gamers as socially deprived, or fat and greasy, but this is not true. Games have a strong sense of loyalty to one another, whether it be they jsut met online, or know each other in real life. When you become a gamer, and find a group to join, you really do feel a part of the communitty. The great thing is, if you find something new, or better, or a different group, no ones going to garber a grudge against, because theres always better and newer gasmes or programs comming out.
I recently got my hands on oneof the newest games, Mass Effect 2. I've played it through once already, 24 hours clocked in on time spent playing it. I'm on my second playfuk, with all of the downloadble content that is free installed. I'm pretty sure I'll have at least two hours plus clocked in on this game. It's an RPG game, meaning even if I play it throught the whole way three or four times, theres always a different way for theg ame to end. As well, you can import your save from Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3 when it comes out, which means your decisions in one game affect what happens in the other. If you own all three games, you can play for a total of 72 hours from one game to the next, importing your character each time, gainng bonuses for doing so, and changing the story in different and unexpected ways.
This is just one example of how far games have come. In the early days there was pong, now we have Halo. Before we had 8-bit Mario, now we have full fledged 3D adventures in space. The thing games are striving for is full virtual immersion, or at least thats what I think. A game where you can be surrounded by the scenery, and be the character. Like the holo0-deck in Star Trek. Games are looking more real all teh time, to the pint of looking almost ugle from being too real. Guns sound real, you hear the hearbeat speed up when injured. It gives a feeling of immersion. Even today, there are glasses you can strap on to give yourself and almost 3D feel through depth perception. Especially fun when falling from a 50 story building.
Games are wonderous inventions, perfect distractions, and they arn't going away. People think of gamers as socially deprived, or fat and greasy, but this is not true. Games have a strong sense of loyalty to one another, whether it be they jsut met online, or know each other in real life. When you become a gamer, and find a group to join, you really do feel a part of the communitty. The great thing is, if you find something new, or better, or a different group, no ones going to garber a grudge against, because theres always better and newer gasmes or programs comming out.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Blogs
Andrew Gordon will do research using blog entries for the purpose of archiving every English blog entry for the purpose of teaching Artificial intelligences. He thinks that the blogging of everyday or mundane life is very appealing and hopes to learn a lot from it, for himself and the AI. He says that rather than being logical and rational, AIs will be vulgar and totally irrational at first, like web bloggers.
Blogging is okay, but only if you know what to write about, have the ability to write coherently, and remember to write. If you write for a year and accumulate dozens of followers, there going to be pissed if you suddenly drop off the radar. of course, its the Internet so people will move on, but there will be grudges. I think he'll research will turn up exactly what he wants it to- accounts of peoples everyday life, and the different views of today's society. I believe that his research really will help AIs grow to understand humans and become more friendly and helpful rather than simple tools. It will show the bad side of humans, but also the good, things an AI would need to know.
Blogging is okay, but only if you know what to write about, have the ability to write coherently, and remember to write. If you write for a year and accumulate dozens of followers, there going to be pissed if you suddenly drop off the radar. of course, its the Internet so people will move on, but there will be grudges. I think he'll research will turn up exactly what he wants it to- accounts of peoples everyday life, and the different views of today's society. I believe that his research really will help AIs grow to understand humans and become more friendly and helpful rather than simple tools. It will show the bad side of humans, but also the good, things an AI would need to know.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Bullying
I know the topic of bullying well. For three years in elementary school, I was shunned and bullied. I couldn't defend myself, didn't want to defend myself because I as afraid of what would happen if I did. Once it got to the point where I didn't want to go to school, and even after contacting the school, talking to the principal in person, it didn't stop. This before the bullying bylaw, so there was nothing to be done. I couldn't stay in side at recess, not all the time, so it didn't stop. I made friends with few and didn't trust easily. The kicker is that everyone who bullied me, didn't hesitate to ask or help in class, and I helped them anyways, because that's the kind of person I am.
I under stand David's feelings immensely, but never once did I consider running away. I could never do that to my family. But things did get better in high school at least. No one spread any stories, and I have more friends then ever, not too many though.
The main idea in this story is bullying, and how it can affect more than just the person being bullied, and that it can spread to affect a greater number of people. The police didn't believe David, so he was left to fight the battles on his own. He lost faith in others and the system, as it was little to no help. In the end he had no option but to run away, as the law said he had to go to school, which just meant more bullying. I think that in the end, in order to escape, he ran away, so that the law couldn't force him to face his problems anymore.
No matter what anyone does, no matter who the kid tells, bullying will continue, because adults haven't figured out a proper way to deal worth it. In today's generation, kids don't care if adults yell at them. So if suspend a kid for a few days, its not a punishment, its a good thing. They get to spend time at home, and when they get back, the bullying resumes. Innocent kids are hurt because of the school systems inability to find an acceptable solution.
I under stand David's feelings immensely, but never once did I consider running away. I could never do that to my family. But things did get better in high school at least. No one spread any stories, and I have more friends then ever, not too many though.
The main idea in this story is bullying, and how it can affect more than just the person being bullied, and that it can spread to affect a greater number of people. The police didn't believe David, so he was left to fight the battles on his own. He lost faith in others and the system, as it was little to no help. In the end he had no option but to run away, as the law said he had to go to school, which just meant more bullying. I think that in the end, in order to escape, he ran away, so that the law couldn't force him to face his problems anymore.
No matter what anyone does, no matter who the kid tells, bullying will continue, because adults haven't figured out a proper way to deal worth it. In today's generation, kids don't care if adults yell at them. So if suspend a kid for a few days, its not a punishment, its a good thing. They get to spend time at home, and when they get back, the bullying resumes. Innocent kids are hurt because of the school systems inability to find an acceptable solution.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Dream Job
My dream job is be a programmer for LucasArts. I love video games, and play them all the time, and as well love Star Wars. LucasArts is the video game company for Star Wars, and that's why I want to work there. Programming has lots to do with math and problem solving, and that's what I love. Their job is to build the game engine, the software that allows the game to be read by the machine and then displayed on screen. It's what allows for certain game mechanics to take place, like throwing people across the room with the Force. They do this through code, a string of numbers of letters that make up equations that the computer reads and interperets into visul effects. All software has a programmer take part in it, but video games are my calling. I always wanted to go into video games, or at least since around I was 7 or 8 I think. Being a programmer was just the job that happened to fit my abilities.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Olympics
I didn't really watch the Olympics. I hoped Canada would do awesome, but I am way more of a gamer and as such, played video games. I watched some of the curling, Patrick Chan because of the hype, and some of the hockey. I didn't watch the final game, but I was really happy none the less. I wasn't that much involved with it, but during the gold medal events, opening ceremonies and closing, I was filled with pride. Nothing but. I can't really pick one in particular, but one of my favourite moments was during the opening ceremonies when the one guy did his We Are More speech. I was so happy, and so filled with pride. It was awesome. As a nation, we really came together. When we won the hockey, I would have hated to be the US. Why? When we won, there was a sea of red. While we were getting our team picture, the US was trudging off in the background, and thing was, the wave of red and white was alive, cheering and just freaking out-all for Canada. That would be so depressing.
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